Improvement in seed-planters



J. P. ROSS.

Grain Drill.

Patented June 8, 1852.

AM. PHOTO-THO. CB N.Y. (OSBDRNE'S PROCESS.)

' ATENT Erica.

JAMES P. ROSS, OF LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEED-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 9,004, dated J nne 8,1852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. Ross, of Lewisburg, in the county of Unionand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Seeding-Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle orcharacter which distinguishes them from all other things beforeknown,and of the usual manner of making, modifying, and using the same.

My improvement consists in the seeding apparatus by which the seed isconveyed in measured quantities from the hopper to the tubes whichconduct it into the teeth, and also in the mode of hoisting the teeth,by which a much larger range of motion can be given to the teeth than ispracticable where levers are used; also the mode of throwing the seedingapparatus into and out of gear; and, lastly, the measuring-index formeasuring the quan- -tity of land seeded.

Myfirstimprovement, the seedin gapparatus, is thus constructed Thehopperais fixed upon the usual frame, I), mounted upon wheels, to thefront end of which the draft-bars of the teeth 0 are jointed. Thisseed-hopper a is made with the front slanting down backward from the topto the rear side at the bottom,as clearly shown. The hopper extends fromone side of the frame to the other, and has partitions in it dividing itinto as many cells as there are openings for the delivery of seed. Ontothe back board of the hopper are metal plates d, screwed opposite toeach opening through the seed-box, for the delivery of seed. One ofthese plates is shown detached, Fig. 2. It supports and guides a gate,6, which rises and falls to open or close the opening 01 in the plate(I. This gate 6 is moved up and down by the eccentric j, which turns tothe right or left for that purpose, as will be clearly shown in thedetached figures. On the lower end of the gate there is a projection, h,inward for a purpose to be presently explained, and the projection f onthe eccentric f serves to point to the index or scale on the plate d, todetermine the quantity of grain to be sown to the acre. There is acupformed piece, t, which fits onto the plate d, the upper part of whichis directly under the opening in the hopper. This fits and slidesagainst the plate d, the lower edge of which fits the line i. That partwhich projects beyond the hopper is divided into two receivers, F, by anindentation in the middle, opposite which there is boss, i rising nearlyon a plane with the plate. The cup thus formed is joined by a shortpiece of iron, k, with the next cup, and so on to the end of the hopper,where they are connected with a short pitman, 70, that slips onto ancecentric wrist, I. When in a state of rest this pitman is drawn onto apart of the wrist which is concentric with the shaft; but when it is tobe put in motion it is slipped onto the eccentric wrist, which wrist isconnected with a short shaft and bevel-wheel, m, by which it is gearedto and turns with the wheel. When the cups are made to vibrate from sideto side their action is as follows: They receive a supply of grain fromthe hopper, and are always full when there is a sufficiency of grain tofill them in the hopper. While the pressure at their exit is alwaysequal, there is a quantity of seed forced out in vibrating one way on tothe receiver i Aided by the action of the projection on the lower partof the gate, the return causes the grain to be forced off of thereceiver by the stud 0 on plate 01 at the point 133, while at the sametime the receiver on the other side is filled and in the same wayemptied of its contents, which fall into the tube a and is conducteddown through the tooth c to the ground, the boss i preventing the grainfrom running out direct from the cup. In this arrangement the parts donot approach near enough to break or injure any kind of seed large orsmall, while the distributing is performed with the greatest accuracy.The teeth 0 are, as before named, attached by their draft bars or beamsto the forward end of the frame. To each tooth there is affixed a cordor chain that passes up over a windlass, 19-, upon the frame on which,at the center, there is a bevelwheel, q, that works by means of a pinionon a short crank-shaft, r. The crank is moved by hand to wind the chainsonto the windlass p, and thus raise the teeth. On the shaft there is acollar, 8, that catches the end of the crank when the teeth are raisedand holds the windlass in position, and it also catches the crank whenthe teeth are down for the same purpose. On the end of the windlassopposite the pitman 70 there is a small crank-wrist with aconnecting-rod, t, attached to the pitman by which it is moved, as abovedescribed,

'on the upper side.

on or off of the eccentric I, so that when the teeth are raised the cupsdo not vibrate and the seeding stops, and when they are lowered theseeding proceeds.

The measuring apparatus consists of a circular box, as, having within ita ratchet-wheel and gearing, which ratchet wheel is worked by the pawly, that is at its lower end connected with the bar It, connecting thecups, and receives its motion therefrom. Its fulcrum is just at theperiphery of the ratchetwheel at z, and at that point there is aholding-pawl, a, that holds the ratchet wheel while the upper end of thepawl works into the teeth of the ratchet (See Fig. 3.) An eccentric, b,moves a second pawl, c, which acts on the second wheel, moving itonenotch for every revolution of the first wheel.

Having thus fully described my improt'ements, what I claim therein asnew, and for which I desire to secure Letters Patent, is-

1. The seeding apparatus constructed substantially in the-manner and forthe purposes set forth, consisting of the cup 13 and receivers, theplate d, gate 6, and their attachments.

2. The mode of putting the cups into motion and stopping them byshifting the pitman k, as described, onto or from the eccentric l by theWindlass, in the manner set forth.

3. Raising and holding the teeth by the 6H]- ployment of the apparatusfor turning and holding the Windlass, consisting of a crank andbevel-wheels, as described, so that one man can easily raise the teethto any desired height, and to a much greater range than can be doneconveniently by levers or similar devices, and attach it in thatposition by the revolvin g clutch, which meets, when at the properheight, with the crank, which it fastens.

J. P. ROSS.

Witnesses:

J. BEOKWITH WEs'r, T. O. DoNN.

